Summary:
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Ben Fung about a variety of gaps in physical therapy practice. Unable to limit his answer to a single gap clinicians experience, he breaks down current challenges to economic, practice, and workplace gaps. Ben discusses the importance of showing value and discussing the business side of PT. He discusses challenges both new graduates and experienced clinicians face on a daily basis. He even throws in some Star Wars trivia.

Topics Covered:
0:00 - Zach Intro
3:10 - Start of Interview
4:00 - How the pandemic has affected our careers
8:25 - Facilitating and resisting change
13:20 - Navigating challenging situations without experience to draw on
17:50 - Gaining experience outside your traditional clinical setting
23:15 - Balancing seeking opportunities and burnout
27:45 - The dangerous of absolutes, polarized thinking, and perfectionism
31:00 - The fallibility “Experts” and embracing uncertainty and imperfection
36:00 - Gaps from school to clinic
37:10 - Star Wars inconsistencies (not a typo)
38:45 - Back to the gaps: Economic Gap (#1)
46:30 - Practice Gap (#2)
49:55 - Workplace Gap (#3)
55:05 - Showing our value and the importance of discussing money
59:30 - Using the Net Promoter Score
1:00:25 - Acting on data and acknowledging weaknesses
1:04:35 - What Ben is currently curious about - Organizational culture
1:05:45 - The value of non-clinical PTs
1:10:20 - Innovation and Progress in Physical Therapy
1:12:20 - Connecting with Ben Fung

Quotes:
“If everybody agrees with what you are saying either nobody cares or nobody is listening”

Learn more about Ben:
Twitter, LinkedIn, Website, UpDoc Media, UpDoc Marketing

Books mentioned:
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Amazon Affiliate Link)

People mentioned:
Intro music by Quentin Walston: https://quentinwalston.com

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Beth Collier. Beth has truly lived the life of a lifelong learner having completed her DPT, a residency, two fellowships (education and manual therapy), and is enrolled in an Ed.D. program. We discuss the various strategies to further our personal and professional development, both through formal and informal education. Beth shares her insights on the influence of leadership on clinical practice and developing a culture to improve clinical outcomes. She also provides advice for clinicians interested in pursuing academia.

0:00 – Zach Intro
4:41 – Beth Intro
5:50 – Taking on a new role during the pandemic
7:20 – Lessons learned from the pandemic
8:50 – Being a lifelong learner
11:05 – Deciding when more formal education is needed
16:40 – State of manual therapy literature
20:05 – Translating research to clinical practice
21:40 – Biggest gaps from school to practice
23:10 – Balancing professional growth and burnout
25:23 – When can you start teaching?
28:40 – Ph.D. vs Ed.D.
31:55 – Influence of leadership on clinical practice
39:30 – Influence of introversion/extroversion on leadership capacity
44:15 – Professional growth through service and advocacy
47:30 – How to choose what career opportunities to pursue
54:45 – Surround yourself with the right people
56:05 – Book recommendations
57:10 – Learn more about Beth
57:51 – Closing thoughts from Zach

Quotes:
“The more you learn the less you know.”
“This is great information; why should we care?”

Learn more about Beth:
Facebook, Instagram, MentorEvolution

Books mentioned:
Dare to Lead (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Daring Greatly (Amazon Affiliate Link)
The Alchemist (Amazon Affiliate Link)

People mentioned:
Intro music by Quentin Walston: https://quentinwalston.com/ 

In this episode, I discuss the importance of individual or personalized treatment. Translating research into clinical practice is a challenge. The challenge is intensified when we have a poor understanding of statistics, or when we rely too heavily on averages. I discuss the issues with standardizing treatment approaches, adopting specific "schools of thought," and applying a "one size fits all" approach. I also discuss how a case study can be a powerful teaching tool.

Books discussed in the episode:
The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Research discussed in this episode:
How manual therapy provided a gateway to a biopsychosocial management approach in an adult with chronic post-surgical low back pain: a case report

Music by by Quentin Walston

In this episode, I speak with Dhara Shah about advocacy and mentorship. We explore Dhara's journey in professional advocacy from PT School through post-residency. She shares her lessons and provides insights into how we can help grow the profession. We talk about the mentors that have greatly influenced her career and how she established those relationships. Mentoring is not a formal contract, and it should be present throughout our careers.

Topics Covered:
0:00 - Intro
3:37 - Dhara introduces herself
4:15 - Choosing a residency program
6:20 – How Dhara got involved in advocacy
7:37 – Why networking is beneficial
10:40 – Extrovert vs. Introvert in Networking
12:30 – Methods to decompress
14:40 – Forming mentoring relationships
18:55 – Applying research and clinical reasoning
19:43 – Mentoring is a two-way street
21:35 – Jump from school to clinical practice
23:12 – Taking on APTA GA roles
25:02 – What is a LAN Director and Delegate?
27:25 – Diversity and salary issues in physical therapy
30:20 – Improving reimbursement and showing our value
34:35 – Improving professional engagement
36:35 – Advice on how to get involved in advocacy
38:15 – Balance clinical and professional growth
40:15 – Handling disagreements with colleagues
42:30 – Addressing our own biases
42:28 – Dhara’s book recommendations
45:25 – The importance of finding mentors throughout your career and being a lifelong learner
47:01 – Connecting with Dhara
48:10 – Closing thoughts from Zach


Quotes:
"Just because you are 10 or 15 years out of school doesn't mean it is too late to be a mentee."

“It’s not my job to judge how your thinking, it’s my job to understand and see both sides of the story.”

Learn more about Dhara:
Instagram
Motion Stability
Email: [email protected]
 

Books mentioned:
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action (Amazon Affiliate Link)
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Research Articles mentioned:
Are Exercise and Physical Therapy Common Forms of Conservative Management in the Year Before Lumbar Spine Surgery?

People mentioned:
Adrian Louw: https://evidenceinmotion.com/people/adriaan-louw/
Intro music by Quentin Walston: https://quentinwalston.com/

Summary:
This episode is on the differences between learning and performance. Understanding the distinction and methods to achieve both is critical for patient care. Learning is needed for developing as a clinician and helping our patients progress. Without proper structure, we can easily focus on performance, leading to short-term improvement without long-term change.

Blog Links
Critical Thinking Clinician Blog
PT Solutions Blog

References

1. Soderstrom, N.C. and R.A. Bjork, Learning versus performance: an integrative review. Perspect Psychol Sci, 2015. 10(2): p. 176-99.
2. Driskell, J.E., R.P. Willis, and C. Cooper, The effect of overlearning on retention. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1992. 77: p. 615-622.
3. Bertsch, S., et al., The generation effect: a meta-analytic review. Mem Cognit, 2007. 35(2): p. 201-10.
4. Kornell, N. and L.K. Son, Learners’ choices and beliefs about self-testing. Memory, 2009. 17(5): p. 493-501.
5. Potts, R., G. Davies, and D.R. Shanks, The benefit of generating errors during learning: What is the locus of the effect? J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn, 2019. 45(6): p. 1023-1041.

Music by Quentin Walston